aside When Is The Right Time To Discuss Gun Control? The Answer Is Anytime You Can

We have already heard ad nauseam the republicans’ talking point, that right now, so soon after the 10/1/17 Las Vegas Mass shooting tragedy, it is too early to be discussing issues pertaining to gun control.

“We the people” who are part of the resistance, beg to disagree. We are certain that all those who are grieving because of loved ones suffering harm, would want us who are supportive of sensible gun control measures, tackling this issue head-on with no delay. They would want to save others from experiencing their pain.

For example, I see no reason for “bump-stock” devices being an item that is legal to sell, especially when its sole purpose is to turn a rifle into a machine guns. Machine guns have been illegal to purchase, if made after May 1986.

In Nevada, it is legal for a resident to own a machine gun. Under federal law, machine guns — considered automatic weapons — are tightly regulated but legal to own as long as they were made before May 1986 and are registered with the federal government.

But in the case of the Las Vegas gunman, Stephen C. Paddock, there were 12 of the guns found in the his hotel room which were fitted with “bump-stocks.”

Here’s the rest of the story…

On October 4, 2017 the foreign staff of the Telegraph penned the following details about how to turn a rifle into a machine gun, ‘Bump-stock’ devices: How Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock used ‘souped-up semi-automatic’ weapons

“”The term is often used to describe a fully automatic gun that can fire as many rounds as its magazine, drum or belt holds by pulling and holding the trigger.”

“Those weapons have been largely outlawed for three decades, though Paddock used a device to give him “a souped-up semi”.”

“Jill Snyder, special agent for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), said 12 of the guns found in the gunman’s hotel room were fitted with so-called “bump-stocks”. The device basically replaces the gun’s shoulder rest, with a “support step” that covers the trigger opening. By holding the pistol grip with one hand and pushing forward on the barrel with the other, the shooter’s finger comes in contact with the trigger. The recoil causes the gun to buck back and forth, “bumping” the trigger.”

“Technically, that means the finger is pulling the trigger for each round fired, keeping the weapon a legal semi-automatic.”

“”There’s very little difference between a souped-up semi automatic and a fully automatic,” said Mike McLively, a policy expert with Americans for Responsible Solutions.”

“The barrage of gunfire into a crowd of 22,000 people came in extended bursts that lasted several minutes, as throngs of terrified music fans cowered desperately on the open ground, hemmed in by fellow concert-goers, while others at the edge tried to flee.”

“From the audio, that is not someone who has a traditional semi-automatic rifle firing it in its normal condition,” said David Chipman, a former Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent who advises the gun control group Americans for Responsible Solutions.”

“Either it’s a machine gun or it’s been modified. I don’t believe a human can do that with his finger.”

“The purchasing of fully automatic weapons has been significantly restricted in the US since the 1930s. In 1986, the federal National Firearms Act was amended further to prohibit the transfer or possession of machine guns by civilians, with an exception for those previously manufactured and registered.”

“California Sen. Dianne Feinstein has long railed against “bump stocks”. Several years ago, she told The Associated Press she was concerned about the emergence of new technologies that could retrofit firearms to make them fully automatic.”

“This replacement shoulder stock turns a semi-automatic rifle into a weapon that can fire at a rate of 400 to 800 rounds per minute,” she said.

“Police said they recovered a total of 42 weapons belonging to Paddock, including 23 from the hotel room and 19 at his home in Mesquite, a small desert town about an hour from Las Vegas. Some were automatic weapons or semi-automatic rifles illegally modified into fully-automatic weapons.”

NOW IS THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT GUN CONTROL MEASURES

On October 2, 2017 the LA Times published readers’ letters to the editor regarding the subject of gun control, “Opinion Now is exactly the right time to talk about gun control:”

“As has been proved time and again in our country, guns kill. And in the hands of Americans, they kill with much greater frequency than almost any country in the world that is not engaged in a war. So as we search for answers to this new tragedy and as we seek to place blame on those who might be responsible, let us consider the NRA and its fervid support of unbridled gun ownership.”

“Also, let us stop misinterpreting the Constitution in regards to gun ownership. Americans who favor gun control are in the majority. Why then do our laws not reflect the will of the majority? Is it that we are not being listened to? Or, and shame on us if this is the case, is it that we aren’t speaking up?”

I suggest now is the time to speak up and now is the time to use the loudest voice we have: our vote.

Maria Elena Dunlap, Rancho Palos Verdes

To the editor: I know that we have a 2nd Amendment right. I also know that we have the right to life. Where those two rights intersect, as they most vividly did in Las Vegas and elsewhere, why are we not employing better sense?

And by “sense,” I mean a sense that is appropriate to circumstances in 21st century America, rather than that in the 13 colonies.

We need adequate gun control now. If we can’t trust all of the states to be sensible, then the federal government ought to take action. A presidential platitude that “our unity will not be shattered by evil” is meaningless if we can be shattered by our own stupidity.

Gregory Hach, Torrance

To the editor: Until our elected representatives develop some collective spine and can stand up to the gun lobby, then such mass murders will continue to occur indefinitely.

I behold this truth to be self-evident: Military-style, rapid-fire assault weapons do not belong in the hands of civilians in a modern society. They should be outlawed at once.

Guy Brown, Santa Barbara

To the editor: You can restrict the purchase and sale of firearms and ammunition all you like, but it actually would not make much of a difference to would-be shooters.

If people have a desire to do bad things, they’re going to do them. If somebody has an inclination to do something terrible to a person, or in this case, a large group of people, gun control won’t stop him. Unfortunately, the age-old saying of “if there’s a will, there’s a way” applies here. It’s a hard idea to follow, but it’s true.

Gun control is a double-edged sword. On one hand, yes, it could reduce the chance of someone producing another horrible mass shooting. On the other hand, gun control also makes it difficult for a person to have the means to defend himself in a situation like this, and that is something that definitely needs to be considered.

16 comments

Reblogged this on Filosofa's Word and commented:
The NRA and its ‘bought-and-paid-for’ politicians, including leaders of both chambers of Congress, as well as the ‘man’ in the White House, have been busily telling us that it is a sacrilege, that it is profane, for us to discuss the need for stronger gun legislation at this time. They are dead wrong. Two blogger-friends have expounded on the need to have this discussion NOW, and I am re-blogging both, for they are both excellent pieces. Please, whether you agree or disagree that we have a gun-addiction problem in this country, take the time to read and ponder Keith and Gronda’s words, both of whom I agree with wholeheartedly. Thank you, Keith and Gronda, for your work, and permission to share.

Excellent piece, Gronda. NOW is definitely the time for us to all be having this conversation. It is way PAST time, as evidenced by Sunday’s tragedy. I have re-blogged both this post and Keith’s, for I want to see people start giving some serious thought to our ‘gun-addiction’ problem. Thanks, my friend! Hugs!!!

The republican legislators in the US congress were getting ready to pass a bill making the sale of silencers legal but this has been pushed aside because of the Las Vegas shooting. There is no reason for these bump stocks to be on the market. It looks like Senator Dianne Feinstein is introducing legislation to ban them.

And this is the perfect time for gun debates.

There should be universal checks and better tracking of the guns sold. etc.,, etc., etc.

Excellent article! I will attach a link to this response that while a little bit heavy to read, will provide the CDC’s opinion about this problem. Please note that the Republican party has ensured that the CDC is not going to revisit this problem for many years into the future. Time for the nation to actually open it’s eyes to the problem that unfettered access to any and all sorts of weapons is a serious problem that needs to be addressed immediately

My pleasure, as always! I fully agree … if the argument is that people should be allowed to purchase/own a gun for ‘self-defense’, then what is the justification for automatic or semi-automatic weapons? How many people have their home invaded by the hundreds of people at once? There is no sense … absolutely NONE … to it. Sigh. Hugs, my friend!!!

Gun control doesn’t necessarily mean people no longer have a form of defence. It just means they don’t need more forms of defence than they have hands to hold them. No one needs a dozen guns.
People say that villains will still have weapons. So why penalise the innocent. This man was not on police books and was thought a good man until now, and look how many guns he’s been allowed to buy. You need to control how many a person has and of what type or make the ammunition prohibitively expensive to buy.
Stop allowing the sale of kits to convert weapons to automatics. Stop the sale to anyone with mental health problems and anyone with a record for spousal abuse.. No silencers either. These are simple rules that should occur to any parent or grandparent who wants their family to be safe.
If rules had been tightened after one of the other mass killings then maybe this man would not have had the weapons to carry out these killings.
Now is the perfect time for a discussion and to remind your Senators that the NRA don’t own them, you do.
Hugs Gronda xxx

You sound like one of us. It is frustrating and anger provoking that the US Congressional republicans are such weenies. Remember they are the ones who were ready to pass an unpopular healthcare bill because they are beholden to their big donors. This is the same with gun control.

This is why we are not buying their B.S. and why we are getting ready to man the phones, protest, send letters, to get their attention. We are not going to give up on this issue. Like the healthcare bill, this is a matter of saving lives.

The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution reads: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

This Amendment is to protect the ppl from a tyrannical gov’t, so citizens have the means to fight back. Our founding fathers have the wisdom and foresight to include this in our Constitution as part of checks and balances on the Federal gov’t. After winning our independence from GB during the Revolutionary War, it made perfect sense!

Of course there were no automatic weapons back then so this Amendment should be updated. Keith brought up very good suggestions, the problem are loopholes. Anyone can buy weapons from private owners (at gun shows or Craigslist) without any checks and there’s no way to enforce that.

For the record, I don’t own any weapons, am against weapons in general, but I support the rights of ppl who choose to own and use weapons responsibly b/c I trust Gov’ts less than gun owners. If you research “False Flags”, you’ll understand why.

As for banning assault rifles, civilians really have no need for this type of weapon. It’s overkill for home protection/ self defense. The NRA is a tough nut to crack, sadly our politicians are in their pocket so no meaningful gun control reform unless we can extricate big business from gov’t (one aspect of fascism BTW).

These horrible mass shootings will continue, and get much worse if conditions don’t change. This includes covert gov’t operations pushing for specific agendas contrary to the interests of it’s citizens. Now more than ever we need to stay diligent, alert and politically active, specifically hold our representatives accountable for their actions. If they keep taking money from organizations contrary to the welfare of citizens, it’s up to us to vote them out!